Spirit of Captain Tom will live on forever, family tell funeral service

Sir Tom’s coffin, draped in a union flag, was carried to the crematorium on Saturday by soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment while a Second World War-era C-47 Dakota performed a flypast.

This was followed by a firing party of 14 each firing three rounds in unison before a small service got under way.

The service, at Bedford Crematorium, was attended by eight members of Sir Tom’s immediate family – his two daughters Hannah Ingram-Moore and Lucy Teixeira, four grandchildren and his sons-in-law.

It opened with the charity single Sir Tom recorded with Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care Choir, You’ll Never Walk Alone, which reached number one in the UK singles charts in April last year.

His daughter Ms Teixeira, 52, then paid tribute to Sir Tom, who captured the hearts of the nation with his fundraising efforts during the first coronavirus lockdown when he walked 100 laps of his Bedfordshire garden before his 100th birthday, raising more than £32 million for the NHS.

She said: “Daddy, you always told us ‘best foot forward’ and true to your word that’s what you did last year, raising a fortune for the NHS and walking your way into the nation’s hearts.”

Ms Teixeira added: “Daddy, I am so proud of you, what you achieved your whole life and especially in the last year. You may be gone but your message and your spirit lives on.”

Ms Ingram-Moore said that the world had become “enthralled” by her father’s spirit of hope, positivity and resilience.

She added: “We are so proud of the way you handled everything that happened.

“We have been so close as a family before this but we were thrust even closer together as the world became enthralled by your spirit of hope, positivity and resilience.

“They too saw your belief in kindness and the fundamental goodness of the human spirit.”

Sir Tom died at Bedford Hospital on February 2 after testing positive for Covid-19.

A number of special items were placed on Sir Tom’s coffin, including a replica of his service cap from the Second World War, a wreath from the Yorkshire Regiment, his campaign medals, including the Burma Star, and his knighthood medal stitched on to a cushion.

There was also a specially-commissioned sword engraved with the motto of the Yorkshire Regiment on one side – “Fortune favours the brave” – and his own personal motto, “Tomorrow will be a good day”, on the other.

Singer Michael Buble recorded a version of the song Smile which was played at the funeral, while other music included The White Cliffs Of Dover by Dame Vera Lynn, I Vow To Thee My Country by Alfie Boe and My Way by Frank Sinatra.

A bugler sounded The Last Post at the end of the private service.

Six representatives from the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, where Sir Tom was made an honorary colonel, also formed a ceremonial guard.